Fire-lighter.



C. BLA'MFIELD.

FIRE LIGHTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1918.

Patented July 30, 1918.

Invenlfir, Chafles Zamfield ruins 00.. PNOm-LIYHO.. msumakm. o. c.

m: noun 55 V able-striking device provldedq ZEThe-latter CHARLES BLmrmLi), or BOSTON, AssAcHirsETTs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' .FIRE+LIGHTER.

Patented July 50, 1918.

Application filed January 29, 1918. Serial No. 214,387.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES BLAMFIE D, a subject of'Great Britain, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk'and-Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Lighters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an automatic firelighter in compact and inexpensive form, which shall be capable of remaining in blaze until it-has fully ignited the combustible material for which it is set, notwithstanding any wind or draft which shall be without a tendency to accumulate moisture during hours of waiting; which shall have sufiicient blaze to overcome any dampness acquired-by the kindlings; which may be adapted for igniting after any desired interval of time; which may be used for igniting sticks of incense at appointed hours; for setting off firework's'automatically in the evening which were located in the daytime, and for other uses of equal value. I i

In carryingmy invention into effect I provide a small tube adapted to hold the head of a match in the path of aspring-impelled igniting plate, the'latter 'bein controlled by a timing device,and the who of the ignited match-head being made to strike agauze impregnated with a special solution.

In the drawin Figure 1 is a-perspective view of the fire-lighter in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of thesame, Fig. 3 is a perspective viewofthe lighter adapted for igniting'a-stick of incense." Fig. 4 is a side'view-of the lighter arranged to be set off by means of an alarm clock. Fig 5 is an under; view of the device and Fig. 6 a cross section of a modification. Y

The main body of the lightercomprises an inexpensive tube 1 preferably composed of paper or thelike, approximately rectangular in cross sectionand having an elongated opening 2 'near its mid-length. Over this opening is secured, preferably by par afiin -8 :in suflicient quantity to provide a strong and durable flame, a covering-3 of gauze impregnatedwith a solution of rosin and wood alcohol. This'solution renders the gauze both moisture proof and more sensitive to ignition. v

\For initiating combustion, a matchhead or tip 4-is located near the gauze and a 'movbe drawn along the tube.

comprises a slidable carrier 5' having a curved metal striker 6 attached thereto, the latter being so curved as to give a slightly yielding cushion-portion 7 against Whichthe match-head is, received and a concaved igniting portion 9 designed to drag over the match-head. This ignlting portion maybe roughened mechanically, or provided with frictionpaper. 7

To the side of the tube l oppositethe opening2 is attached a strip of wood 10 both for the purpose of stiffening the tube and for firmly holding the match in place.

This stripmay be glued to the tube, as the majority of the figures of' the drawing are designed to indicate, or it may behinged thereto along an edge as shown in Fig. 6. In the formerease, the strip is formed with a longitudinal slot 11, as indicated in Fig. 5,

having a locking lever 12 pivoted therein to leave a small open space at the pivotal end. This slot is wider thanthehead or tip of an ordinary match, and the pivotedend of the lever or look 12 is provided with a finger 13 partially filling saidopenspace; The lock 12 being swung outward," as shown in Fig. 3, space-is left for the insertionof the head ofa match until it reaches the igniter surface 7 Then the lockis'press'ed back'in,

firmly wedging the match in place, and,

desired, the protruding portion can be broken off.

' From the carrier 5' aswaxedthread l ff passes out through a cork 15, terminating'in a loop. ,Preferably this loop is formed by doubling the thread over on itself-andfas' teningboth ends tothe carrier. In this loop 17 exterior of thecorkis placed'a bit of soluble-substance 19 andiover the outer end ofthefcork iszput a cap 20 fitting the same liquid tight. A suitable liquid having been introduced within the cap prior to its application on the cork, thelbit-or lump 19 will slowly. dissolve-until the loop 17 is able to cut through it and to permit the carrier to This movement of the carrier is caused by means of a helical spring 21 shown in F 2, or by a rubber elastic 22indicated in-Fig-L 4. In either case the result isthe same. The insta-ntthe lump 19 :becomes sufiiciently soft, the elastic bandv or-spring 'pulls the thread through the cork; and draws the ig-" niter-fi: along thetip of the match-head 4. The latter instantly ignites and sets the gauze=3 on: fire, the-flametherefrom -rising vent or disintegrating action of water.

to a height of several inches and enduring for some minutes, entirely sufficient for igniting any ordinary kindlings placed above the kindler.

When the fire lighter is composed of paper and other combustible materials, it is usually consumed during its performance of its task; but it maybe, if desired, constructed of metal, with the saturated gauze and the soluble block 19 as the only parts to be renewed.

The small blocks or tablets 19, if composed of loaf sugar and the dissolving liquid water, will soften and release the igniter in a very few minutes; and a tablet of potassium bromide will release in nearly half an hour. I prefer, however, to have the tablets composed of powdered rosin and soda, the proportions of which can be varied in accordance with the time-limits desired, the greater the proportion of rosin the longer the tablet will remain hard enough to resist the scI ln weather of average temperatures, water may be used in the caps 20, but where there is danger of freezing, denatured alcohol should be employed, and a modified tablet used.

To enable an alarm clock to be utilized for actuating the fire lighter, the clock is located either. near the edge of a shelf or other support, or suspended from any suitable hook, and an elongated weight 25 engaged at one end beneath the edge of the alarm bell 26, as shown in Fig. 4, this weight connected by a cord 27 to a small hooked knife 29 engagecb with the thread loop 17. When the alarm strikes, the vibrations of the bell will dislodge the weight; the latter in its fall causes its string to jerk the knife 29, thereby cutting the loop, the carrier and igniter fly. past the match-tip the latter is ignited and the fire kindled.

.When the strip 10 is hinged along an edge to the tube 1 as shown in Fig. 6, a hole is made therein snugly fitting the match stem but too small for the tip 4:. The match is therefore introduced into this hole from the inner surface of the strip when swung away. The'strip is then swung back and secured in place by a length of adhesive tape 30 wound around the parts. I prefer to use this tape with both forms of the device in order to provide a convenient means for suspending the lighter from any suitable surface.

When the lighter is to be employed for igniting sticks of socalled. incense, the cap 20 is provided with a socket 31 into which an end of the stick can be inserted and so held with its other end at a point which will be met by the 'igniter flame. An end of a comparatively short fuse can be similarly supported for ignition at a predetermined time.

It is, to

be understoodfthat. the cap fits liquid-tight the protruding portion of the plug or cork l5, and the fluid is not put therein until the igniter is set. It is well to provide a small vent 36 through the upper side of the cap 20 in order to prevent its liquid from being forced by expansion into the interior of the tube through the small hole in which is the thread 17, and possibly reaching and damping the match tip.

I have found that when the thread 17 is attached directly to the carrier 5, it is liable when released to carry with it a small amount of moisture which sometimes flies upon the match tip and extingnishes its flame. -To prevent this is the object of the two separable threads 14 and 17 In order to keep the thread 17 from cutting into the cork or plug 15, and thereby running less freely through the latter, the thread is passed through a small head 32, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:.

It is best not to keep the spring or elastic 21, 22 in tension until just when put in use. For stretching the elastic device, a string or thread 33 having a tab 34 at its outer end is attached to the spring or elastic, in order to permitthe latter to be drawn outwardly to the desired degree of tension, a hook 35 being provided at the mouth of the tube for the attachment of the tensioned member. This hook performs the added function of a means of anchorage for the igniterunder certain conditions.

I usually wind the cord or thread 27 about the igniter, and tuck its knife 29 beneath the winds of the same, as indicated in Fig. 5, so that the device will be ready for use) either with a liquid, an alarm clock or other retarding means, according as the weather conditions may be found.

What I claim is:

1. Au igniting device comprising means for supporting a match or the like, a movable friction device, means for forcibly moving the lattenmeans including a soluble tablet holdingthe friction device from move ment, and means for holding a liquid in contact with the tablet.

2. An igniting device comprising a tubular body having a lateral opening, a friction device slidable within, the body, elastic means acting on said friction device in one direction, means for supporting a match or the like in the path of the .friction device, means temporarily holding the friction device inactive, and a fabric saturated with a combustible solution disposed on said lateral opening.

3. An igniting device comprising a tubular body having a lateral opening, a friction device slidable within said body, elastic means acting on said frictionde'vice in one direction, a soluble tablet adapted to hold the friction devicestationary, means for holding a liquid in contact vwith said tablet,

slidable therein, a curved friction device at tached to said carrier, elasticmeans acting" means for holding a match or the like in the path of the friction device, a fabric disposed on said lateral opening, and combustible material attached to the tube about said fabric.

4:. An igniting device comprising a tubular body having a lateral opening, a carrier on said carrier in one direction, means for supporting a match or the like in the path of said friction device beneath said opening, a plug in the end of said body opposed to said elastic means, a thread passing through said plug and looped exterior to said plug, a tablet within said loop, and means for releasing said thread from the tablet at a predetermined time, the thread being connected with and anchoring said friction device.

5. An igniting device comprising a tubular body having a lateral opening, a carrier slidable within said body, a friction device attached to the carrier, elastic means acting upon said carrier in one direction, means for supporting a match or the like in the path of the friction device, a plug in the end of said tubular body opposed to said elastic means, a thread having its ends attached to said plug and its looped portion passing through the plug tothe exterior, a soluble tablet in said loop, and a cap adapted to contain a liquid, fitting the outer end of the said plug, the liquid acting to dissolve said tablet.

6. An igniting device comprising'a tubular body having a lateral opening, and a slot in the side opposite the opening of a width to receive the head of a match, a locking lever pivoted at one end in said slot for looking a match therein, a friction device slidable within said body for igniting the match, means for moving the friction device and means for temporarily holding the friction device inactive.

7. An ignition device comprising a tubua means for moving said carrier and means for temporarily holding the carrier inactive.

8. An igniter comprising a tubular body having a lateral opening covered with a' fabric secured thereto, combustible material surrounding said opening, means for holding a match or the like beneath said opening, means for igniting the match and means for temporarily holding the igniting means inactive.

9. An ignitingdevice comprising a tubular body, a slidable friction device therein, means for holding a match or the like in the path of said device, elastic means acting on said friction device in one direction, means for releasably holding the friction device, and ahook pivotally connected-with the tubular body for anchoring the elastic'means.

10. An igniting device comprising a tubular body, a slidable friction device therein, elastic means acting on the friction device in one direction, means for holding a match or the like in the path of said friction device, a plug at the end of the tubular body opposed to said elastic means, a looped thread attached at its ends to the plug and passing through the latter, a soluble tablet in said loop exterior to the said body, a bead on said thread between the tablet and plug, and a cap for liquid fitted to said plug and having a small vent through its upper Wall.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto set by my hand this 25th 'day of January, 1918.

. CHARLES BLAMFIELD,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

